High on the Desert
r
Cochise
r Gardene
County Maste
Newsletter
Vol. 13, No. 12 DECEMBER 2002
The University of Arizona and U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperating
BUTFIRST Syndrome
I have a condition often found
in the Green Thumb Club. The
horticulture world is frantically
searching for a cure. This is an
ailment many of us suffer from
and may not as yet have been
diagnosed.
However, now you may be able
to discuss it with your loved ones
and try to explain what really
happened to you all those times
you tried so hard to accomplish
something and didn’t.
It’s called the “BUTFIRST
Syndrome.”
It’s like when I decide to weed
the garden–I start down the beds
and notice the penstemons need
pruning. Okay, I’m going to do
the weeding–BUTFIRST I’m
going to prune the penstemons
and the salvias. After that I notice
the desert willow tree needs a
drink of water. Okay, I’ll just
finish pruning, BUTFIRST I’ll
get the hose and water the tree.
Now where’s the spray nozzle?
OOPs! There’s the wheelbarrow
full of veggie trimmings from last
year in the side yard. I’m going to
look for that spray nozzle,
BUTFIRST I need to put the
wheelbarrow of veggie trimmings
into the compost pile.
I head for the compost pile,
look out over the veggie garden,
notice my shade cloth has blown
off the lettuce bed. I put the
wheelbarrow next to the garage,
and darn it, there’s the pitchfork
for moving the manure pile
against the garage.
What’s it doing here? I’ll just
put it away, BUTFIRST I need to
fix the shade cloth. Head for
garden gate and Ack! I stepped on
the dog. The dog needs to be fed.
Okay, I’ll put that pitchfork away
and fix the shade cloth. BUTFIRST I need to feed the dog.
Inside this issue:
Cuttings ‘N’ Clippings
2
Christmas Tree Permits
2
Scholarship Offering
2
The Virtual Gardener
3
Rainwater Harvesting
3
Garden Tip 6298
4
Plants Air Cleaners
4
Agent’s Observations
5
Conference Info
6
(Continued on page 2)
Cochise County Cooperative Extension
www.ag.arizona.edu/cochise/mg/
1140 N. Colombo, Sierra Vista, AZ 85635
450 Haskell, Willcox, AZ 85643
(520) 458-8278, Ext. 2141
(520) 384-3594
PAGE 2
(Continued from page 1)
At the end of day:
The shrubs are half pruned...
The tree never gets watered...
Veggie trimmings never make it
to the compost pile...
Shade cloth is still flapping in the
wind...
Spray nozzle is still missing...
The dog ate the lettuce...
AND, when I try to figure out
how come nothing got done all
day, I’m baffled, because I
KNOW I was BUSY ALL DAY!
I realize this condition is serious...and I should get help,
BUTFIRST I think I’ll read my
seed catalogs.
Friend and former Cochise
County Master Gardener, Maggi
Crist, sent me the original
BUTFIRST—I revised it to reflect
my own life. I hope you enjoy it..
Cheri Melton, Master Gardener
Christmas Tree
Permits
The Douglas Ranger District,
Coronado National Forest is
offering tags on a first-come, first
served basis for cutting Christmas
trees in the Chiricahua, Dragoon,
or Peloncillo mountain ranges.
There are 500 tags available with a
limit of one tag per household.
Tags are available at the Douglas
Ranger District office at 3081 N.
Leslie Canyon Road, Douglas, AZ
85607 or through the mail. For
more information call (520) 3643468.
T The January CCMGA meeting
will be held on the 8th at the Sierra
Vista Library, 5:00 p.m.
The Cochise County Master Gardeners Association (CCMGA) is awarding
up to five full scholarships to the 2003 High Desert Gardening & Landscaping Conference to be held at the Windemere Hotel & Conference Center
February 20 & 21. Applicants are invited to submit an essay on one of the
following topics:
Gardening for food production
Landscaping with native plants
Environmental stewardship
Essays must meet the following criteria:
4.
5.
Carolyn Gruenhagen
Editor
T Cochise County Master
Gardeners Association (CCMGA)
next meeting will be December 4
at 5:00 at the Sierra Vista library.
The speaker will be Hank Huisking, the Water Wise instructional
educator for the schools.
High on the Desert
1.
2.
3.
Robert E. Call
Extension Agent, Horticulture
Cuttings
‘N’
Clippings
750 to 1,000 words in length.
Double spaced and typed on plain bond paper.
Represent original scholarship and be suitable for
publication. All references and authorities cited must be
properly attributed.
Entries must be accompanied by an official cover sheet
obtainable from the Cooperative Extension Office at the
U of A South campus.
Entries must be received at the Cooperative Extension
Office at the U of A South campus not later than close of
business on January 15, 2002.
Entries will be judged by the Cochise County Horticultural Extension
Agent and a committee of Master Gardeners appointed by the President of
CCMGA. Winners will be notified by the end of January and the names of
awardees will be announced in the February 2002 Master Gardener newsletter.
PAGE 3
The Virtual Gardener—Irrigation Design
A few days ago I was reading some
excellent articles on drip irrigation by
Master Gardener Joseph Stehling in
the Doña Ana County, New Mexico
Master Gardener Newsletter and ran
across a reference to the Rainbird®
Low-Volume Landscape Irrigation
Design Manual. I suspected I might
find it on-line, and my suspicion
proved correct. I found it at http://
www.rainbird.com/pdf/turf/
D39030D.pdf The manual is a truly
outstanding document and well worth
the only price you have to pay to read
it, the time to download it. Although
it is published by a company that
manufactures irrigation products and
those products are, of course, featured in the manual, the design
process described can be used with
any low water volume irrigation
products.
If you’re thinking this is one of
those abbreviated trifold design
brochures you pick up at the hardware store, think again. This is a
hefty, 118 page document that leads
you through a very structured process
to come up with good design for a
low-volume irrigation system. I have
several books on drip irrigation and
they all have good instructions for
assembling a drip system, but none
discuss the design process with the
rigor and thoroughness of the Rainbird® manual. It leads you through
the process using a series of forms,
tables, and step-by-step procedures.
The result should be a sound design
for a system that will deliver precisely the amount of water your
plants require, no more, no less.
In the first stage of the design
process you gather and record data
about your property. This involves
gathering information about your
water source, selecting your soil and
climate types from tables in the
manual, and describing the hydr ozones you propose to use. You will
also produce a sketch of the property.
Along the way you will learn a little
bit of theory about the way water
behaves in the soil and how plants
take it up. In case you are wondering
what a hydrozone is, the manual
defines it as a grouping of plants
with similar water requirements
served by one control zone and
irrigated by a low-volume system.
All in all, this is the best lowvolume design text I have yet run
across, and the price is right. If
you are interested in installing a
low-volume irrigation system on
your property and want to do it
yourself, I highly recommend
this manual.
Until next
surfing.
month,
happy
Gary A. Gruenhagen, Master Gardener
Once you have finished gathering
basic data about your property, it’s
time to begin estimating the water
requirements of the plants themselves. The worksheets provided
lead you through an analysis of each
hydrozone. You will classify your
plant zones into those that are
sparsely planted and those that are
densely planted and learn how best
to water each type. You will learn
how to calcula te the exact amount of
water required for each plant based
on the potential evapotranspiration
for your climate, the density of plants
in the hydrozone, the efficiency of
the watering system, and any special
requirements due to microclimates.
All of this data is transformed with
simple calculations into water
requirements for dense plantings
measured in inches per day and
requirements for individual plants in
a sparsely planted hydrozone measured in gallons per day.
As you work further through the
manual, you will learn how to pick
the best types of emitters to use for
specific environments, how to place
them around the plants, and how to
determine the length of watering
times for each hydrozone. You will
also learn a little about hydraulics
and how to best lay out your irrigation system.
gruenha@sinosa.com
Rainwater Harvesting
Definition: the capture,
diversion, and storage of
rainwater for plant irrigation
and other uses. Water can be
directed to earth berms and
swales or into barrel/cistern
systems and stored for use
during dry periods.
Advantages: Provides “free”
water and reduces dependence
on ground water, sloping
ground enhances the effectiveness of using berms and
swales, reduces off-site
flooding and erosion by
holding rainwater on the site. It
is a clean, salt-free source of
water for plants—it also
contains dissolved atmospheric
nitrogen, a fertilizer that is
lacking in our native soils.
Disadvantages: None! Harvesting rainwater is a “winwin” situation.
For more information:
http://www.ag.arizona.edu/
cochise/mg/
PAGE 4
Garden Tip #6298
If you are interested in controlling the flow of water on your
property, you need to know how
the elevation varies. Even a few
inches are important.
Over the years I have tried
various methods of precisely
measuring changes of elevation
in my yard, but have found each
of them to be less than totally
satisfactory. Most require a
couple of people to make the
measurements, and I have not
been very successful in recruiting
someone to devote a day to help
me with such a boring job. This
weekend I purchased a device for
less than twenty dollars at a local
electronics store that allows me
to measure elevation changes by
myself.
The device is a laser level.
Basically it’s a carpenter’s level
with a laser pointer built into the
end. The laser on my level will
project either a dot or a horizontal line, but the dot is more
intense and easier to see in
daylight. To make it even better,
this level has a threaded socket
that will accept the screw from a
standard photographic tripod. To
set it up, I screw the level onto
the tripod and adjust the tripod
until the bubble on the level is
centered. Then I measure the
height of the center of the laser
from the ground and mark that
distance on a board (a furring
strip, preferably painted white,
works fine.)
To measure the elevation
change between two points, set
the tripod over the first point,
turn on the laser, and point the
laser at the second point. Hold
the marked board vertically over
the second point and measure the
distance between the point on the
board illuminated by the laser dot
and the mark you made on the
board. If the laser dot is above the
mark on the board, the elevation
of the second point is lower than
the elevation of the first point,
and vice versa.
I found that it is easy to “lose”
the laser dot in bright sunshine
when you are some distance from
the tripod, so I sometimes had to
start with my target board close to
the tripod and then progressively
move farther away, always
keeping the dot projected on the
board. Using this method I was
able to easily measure elevation
differences at points more than 50
feet apart.
Houseplants as
Air Cleaners
Basic mix:
1 C peanut butter
1 C shortening/solid bacon grease
1 C white flour
4 C yellow cornmeal
Mix ingredients and put into molds
(reuse old suet containers if
possible). Place in refrigerator for
at least 2 hours to set up. Serve!
We all know about the photosynthetic exchange of carbon dioxide
for oxygen. Plants can also be used
to purify water and even treat
human fecal waste. Space scientist,
Bill Wolverton, retired from
NASA, has done a study using
houseplants like Scheffleras,
Philodendrons, Pothos and the
good old-fashioned Spider plant to
purify air.
Wolverton, who is trained as a
microbiologist, chemist, and
environmental engineer researched
the use of plants for a selfsufficient environment for space
capsules. In the model he developed, houseplants provide future
astronauts with a constant source
of clean air through the photosynthetic exchange of carbon dioxide
for oxygen.
The problem of indoor pollution
is of growing concern. Such gases
as formaldehyde, benzene, and
trichloroethylene are routinely
found in the air of most homes. All
these chemicals have been linked
to an array of health problems,
ranging from headaches to cancer.
Researchers stated that many
common low-light houseplants
were efficient in cleaning the air of
dangerous gases. The problem in
our homes is that they are built
almost airtight and with the
windows closed there is practically
-Adapted from the Bird Watcher’s
Digest “Enjoying Bird Feeding More”
(Continued on back page)
So if you’ve always wanted to
be an amateur surveyor here’s
your chance to have a little fun
without spending a fortune on
expensive equipment.
“Marvel Meal”
Suet Dough Recipe
PAGE 5
The Agent’s Observations
The International Master Gardener
Conference is COMING!
Visit the recently expanded conference website at
http://mastergardener.osu.edu/
imgc2003 or
http://mastergardener.osu.edu/
imgc2003 for information and ONLINE Registration. Over 40 master
gardeners have already done so, and
the on-line registration process has
just gone live.
And remember, they need applic ations for the Search for Excellence
recognition program. Let’s get those
success stories told and bring
recognition to our volunteers.
Conference information and vendor
brochures (pdf) are on line for
downloading.
We’ll see you June 2003 in, as
Winston Churchill once said of
Cincinnati, “America’s Most Beautiful Inland City.”
If you have any problems with the
website, please email:
riofrio.1@osu.edu" }riofrio.1@osu.
edu
Q
A
Should I fertilize and water
my trees during the winter?
How about house plants?
Fertilizing of trees and shrubs
during the winter in the high
desert should not be done.
Fertilizer could stimulate
temperatures are warm and allow
plants to continue to grow. The best
way to determine soil moisture is to
stick a finger in the soil one to two
inches. If the soil feels dry, water;
if soil feels moist, don’t water.
plants to come out of dormancy
and start to grow and winter
damage could occur. These plants
are “resting” above the ground but
do have activity in the roots if soil
temperatures are warm. Normally
trees and shrubs that go into winter
with adequate soil moisture do not
need watering during the winter.
Usually winter rains or snow
provide enough water. Deciduous
plants do not need much water
because the leaves, where transpiration occurs, are gone and nutrients needed for growth are not
required because there is no shoot
growth. The same holds true for
most evergreen plants such as
pines, junipers, and native oak
trees. When the soil and air
temperatures are cold and sunlight
is reduced, why grow? That is
what spring, summer, and fall are
for!
Houseplants are generally
tropical in origin and survive best
in warm humid environments.
Houseplants need to be watered
because of the limited soil volume
they are confined to. House
Fertilizing houseplants during the
winter months is not encouraged
because of reduced light from the
sun. However, if you are “spoon
feeding” your plants, that is giving
a little fertilizer at each watering,
cut back on the fertilizer by giving
1/4 to 1/2 the normal amount.
Many houseplants need high
humidity to be “happy,” especially
true with ferns. With forced air
heating in many homes, house
humidity can be lower during the
winter than during the hot summer
because of swamp cooler use.
Humidity can be created by placing
the potted plant on top of a pebble
filled shallow dish. Fill the dish
with water as needed, maintaining
the water level near the top. The
dish should have a diameter nearly
as large as the plant diameter. The
pebbles are important so that the
potted plant is not sitting in water
which will cause soil saturation and
thus root rot. As the water evaporates, a humid environment is
created in which a tropical plant
will grow and thrive. This is much
better than using a squirt bottle
three times a day to try and humidify the plant!
Robert E Call
Extension Agent, Horticulture
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture, James
A. Christenson, Director, Cooperative Extension, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The Univ ersity of Arizona and Arizona Counties cooperating.
The University of Arizona is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex,
national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation in its programs and activities.
The information given herein is supplied with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Cooperative Extension is implied.
Any products, services, or organizat ions that are mentioned, shown, or indirectly implied in this publication do not imply endorsement by the University of
Arizona.
ARIZONA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Cochise County
450 S. Haskell Avenue
Willcox, AZ 85643-2790
OFFICIA L BUSINESS
PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE $300
PRSRT STD
POSTAGE & FEES PAID
USDA
PERMIT NO. G268
Return Service Requested
(Continued from page 4)
no fresh air exchange. Heavily
planted rooms help to filter all
these pollutants.
The best plants to do the job are:
S p i d e r P l a n t-Chlorophytum
commosum
Pothos-Scindapsus aureus
Philodendrons-P. domesticum and
P. oxycardium
Umbrella Tree-Schefflera
Peace Lily-Spathiphyllum
Swiss Cheese Plant-Monstera
Angel Rutherford, Master Gardener
High on the Desert
The 10th annual High Desert Gardening & Landscaping
Conference will be held at the Windemere Hotel &
Conference Center on February 20 & 21, 2003. The
conference will feature Mary Irish, author, and 20 other
speakers over the two days. These experts will be covering “everything you want to know and more” about high
desert gardening. Registration forms will be available in
next months’ newsletter or at the Cooperative Extension
office after January 1st. For more information call the
Cooperative Extension at 458-8278, Ext. 2141.